Custom Start Date Patch / ArtMoney Development Thread

[painkiller89]

it will come out of a database that begins in 2010 or 2011? or have I made ​​it all completely wrong?

[Alessandro]

Our UUDB will be updated in the future, and I am sure you can use Manimal/Lidas' DB without a problem.

[archibalduk]

it will come out of a database that begins in 2010 or 2011? or have I made ​​it all completely wrong?

You should be able to use any database you want with a customised start date. You will just need to change a couple of things:

1) Ensure that all players' years of birth are correct. There is a very simple option within the Pre Game Editor that allows you to do this in seconds.

2) Ensure that the years in the extra_config.cfg file are amended to reflect the actual years. For example, the Lidas/Manimal rosters alter the years so as to get around the 2006 hard coded start date. You'll need to change these to the correct dates - a simple find and replace using Notepad will do it.

[painkiller89]

what do you mean by changing year? sounds very interesting but it is difficult for one who does not know? would like to know more what I'm doing so I did not break anything:)

[Alessandro]

what do you mean by changing year? sounds very interesting but it is difficult for one who does not know? would like to know more what I'm doing so I did not break anything:)

When archi's utility will be ready, all you'll have to do will be a couple of clicks

[painkiller89]

so you will be able to start in 2011 at age database? without a lot of trouble?

[ElQuapo]

Just a thought regarding the bug with the World Championships:

Could it be, that because there are no histories entered into the database for the IHWC's in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, and there is no updated World Ranking for 2010, the game does not know which nations are qualified for the various groups?

[Alessandro]

It's the first thing I thought myself, and I've checked. Rankings are correct.

[Alessandro]

so you will be able to start in 2011 at age database? without a lot of trouble?

What do u mean "at age database"?

[ElQuapo]

It's the first thing I thought myself, and I've checked. Rankings are correct.

But what about IHWC histories?

If the game does not know who finished where in 2010 (because histories are only up to 2006), how does it then know who to place in the Elite Division, who to place in the 1. Division etc.?

[YZG]

The histories in the db only cover the three medalists and the host nation. There has to be another mechanism involved...

- YZG

[archibalduk]

The beta of the Custom Start Date Patch has now been sent to Manimal, Tasku and Alessandro for final testing. The patch will work just as well as the ArtMoney method; all I'm hoping for them to test is how easy it is for them to use and also to check that it is compatible with other users' computers/Windows. For example, I want to find out whether users will need to install anything like the .NET Framework etc.

I've noticed a new issue with the patch however. This isn't because the patch is now an exe, it will have been just as much as an issue with ArtMoney. It's just because it's something I hadn't noticed before. If you reload a saved game (and you don't apply the CSD Patch when reloading) with Russia selected as Normal/Enhanced then you get a CPP error on 29 June (but it doesn't crash). At the end of the first season the league history is not saved for the Russian SuperLeague (however player histories are saved). On 29 June of the second season I encounter the same CPP error but this time the league history is saved. I'm now testing to see whether the CSD Patch must always be used when playing with Russia. I guess this may be related to the change in the hardcoded league structure of the Russian league following the first season.

so you will be able to start in 2011 at age database? without a lot of trouble?

I'm not sure what you mean, but any database can be easily adapted to use the Custom Start Date Patch.

But what about IHWC histories?

If the game does not know who finished where in 2010 (because histories are only up to 2006), how does it then know who to place in the Elite Division, who to place in the 1. Division etc.?

Hmm good question. I've been trying to find the nation ID numbers in the hex using ArtMoney without success. Perhaps you're right - maybe it's hidden in the league history somewhere...

[Alessandro]

I'll report about my tests. Thanks

[Tasku]

Well. First I get an error, that my NET Framework needs an update, so I did. Then it just crashes with no explanation. I moved the patch to my EHM folder, as asked for in the readme-file. So AFAIK I've done everything right.

I might try it on my laptop later on, which has Vista. My desk puter has XP.

[painkiller89]

so you will be able to start in 2011 at age database? without a lot of trouble?

What do u mean "at age database"?

what I mean is that if you can start in 2011 on the database you are doing or 2006?

[Alessandro]

Archi, for some reasons, the utility doesn't start on my computer. I double-click on it, it gives me the usual security warning, I click ok, the cursor has for some seconds the rotating circle, then nothing happens. I tried multiple combinations for the administration rights, none of them worked.

[Alessandro]

so you will be able to start in 2011 at age database? without a lot of trouble?

What do u mean "at age database"?

what I mean is that if you can start in 2011 on the database you are doing or 2006?

You can start the game in any year with any database, it doesnt matter.

[archibalduk]

Tasku/Alessandro - try installing the Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package. I think this might be required in order to run it.

Tasku - what version of .NET Framework did it ask you to install? If you're not sure, you can check by typing the following into the address bar in Windows Explorer or My Computer (just copy and paste the following):

Code: Select all

%windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\

This will take you to your .NET Framework folder. Within this folder you will see a number of folders named v3.5 etc. What is the highest v number folder you can find? It'll most likely be either v3.5 or v4.30319.

[Alessandro]

Downloaded, installed, nothing changed.

EDIT: tried to restart the notebook, nothing changed, unfortunately.

[archibalduk]

Alessandro/Tasku - I have uploaded a new version of the CSD Patch. You will find it in the same place as last time and the password is the same. The zip file is called CSD Patch v0.06b beta.zip.

I'm not 100% sure if that will fix the issue but give it a go as a first try.

[Alessandro]

This time it launched, but it didn't work:

Loading EHM 2007 (-small_screen -windowed). Please wait...
Applying 2011 start year...
ERROR (1): Failed to write to offset 8196544.
ERROR (2): Failed to write to offset 9531095.
ERROR (3): Failed to write to offset 9541335.
ERROR (4): Failed to write to offset 9569810.
ERROR (5): Failed to write to offset 9571797.
ERROR (6): Failed to write to offset 9573311.
ERROR (7): Failed to write to offset 9592707.
ERROR (8): Failed to write to offset 9716516.
ERROR (9): Failed to write to offset 9720007.
ERROR (10): Failed to write to offset 9720676.
PATCH FAILED: 10 offset error(s) encountered when attempting to apply the patch.
You MUST enable the Run as Administrator option when loading the CSD Patch.

[Alessandro]

Hmmzz, I launched EHM and tried the "apply only" option - it worked

[archibalduk]

Did you definitely use the 'Run as Administrator' option?

Did you place the CSD Patch.exe file in your EHM 2007 folder (i.e. in the same folder as the ehm2007.exe file)?

[Alessandro]

Did you definitely use the 'Run as Administrator' option?

Did you place the CSD Patch.exe file in your EHM 2007 folder (i.e. in the same folder as the ehm2007.exe file)?

Yes to both question.
Anyhow, now I am in late November of the first season so I think it just works fine, do you want me to test anything specific?

[archibalduk]

With regards to the error message when using the Launch and Patch button, try doing this:

1) Move the CSD Patch window to the top left corner of your screen (so that you can keep it visible even when the EHM window opens).

2) Click on the Launch & Patch (Windowed) button. EHM should now start loading.

3) Keep looking at the middle section of the CSD Patch window (the bit that shows the error messages, etc). At what point does the "Applying 2011 start year..." message appear? Does it happen before the EHM window has appeared? Is it during a particular opening screen?

The reason I ask is because it might be that the Launch & Patch button is trying to apply the patch too quickly. When you click on the Launch & Patch button it waits three seconds before applying the patch. This works fine for my fast laptop (Intel i7 CPU with 6gb RAM) but might be too short for slower computers. Perhaps the waiting time needs to be increased to four or five seconds. If I know at exactly what point you're getting the "Applying 2011 start year..." message then I can calculate how many seconds I need to add on.

Anyhow, now I am in late November of the first season so I think it just works fine, do you want me to test anything specific?

No thank you (because it will work exactly the same as the ArtMoney method). I just needed to check that it would run on other people's computers. Thanks again